Kentucky Powerball Winner Opts To Serve Out His Jail Time For Florida Offenses

James Shannon Farthing, the Kentucky lottery winner who made headlines for getting arrested just days after winning a $167.3 million Powerball jackpot, has apparently decided to cut his losses and do the time.

According to KFVS12, Farthing — who initially pleaded not guilty to battery charges against a police officer and demanded a jury trial — has now done a complete about-face. This week, the Kentucky Parole Board said he waived his right to hearings and has requested to serve out his sentence, which is slated to run through Nov. 4.

The move comes after Farthing’s fall from grace that began days after the best news of his life.

Back in late April, it looked like a Kentucky mother-son duo had hit the ultimate jackpot. Georgetown residents Linda Grizzle and her son Farthing won a $167.3 million Powerball drawing — the biggest prize ever awarded in Kentucky — after Farthing bought a single $2 ticket at a Clark’s Pump-N-Shop.

“It’s going to be a good Mother’s Day,” Grizzle said at the time, according to the Kentucky Lottery. “This is going to pay off my debt.”

The story had all the makings of a feel-good ending. Farthing bought the ticket for him and his mom, then went back to cash it the next day. When Grizzle called her son Sunday after noticing their numbers — 1, 12, 14, 18, 69, and red Powerball 2 — matched, they couldn’t believe it. 

“I would have never dreamed it; it hasn’t sunken in yet,” Grizzle said.

Kentucky Lottery President and CEO Mary Harville was thrilled, noting it was the first Powerball winner from the state since December 2010. “Kentucky finally has a Powerball jackpot winner!” she said.

But Farthing’s good fortune didn’t last long.

Punch, kick, arrest

Four days after posing for photos with that giant ceremonial check, Farthing was arrested at a Florida hotel on April 30. Police say he punched another guest during an altercation, then kicked an arresting officer in the face when the deputy tried to intervene. His girlfriend, Jacqueline Fightmaster, was also arrested on public intoxication charges after allegedly yelling and making incoherent statements.

The arrest violated Farthing’s parole — he was already serving time through August 2025 for a string of Kentucky convictions including tampering with evidence, organized crime charges, drug offenses, receiving stolen property, and theft.

Before his Florida troubles, Farthing had talked about turning his life around with the windfall. 

“I’ve caused a lot of stress on [my mom], you know, I’ve made some bad decisions in life, and you know, God’s been good because I’ve kept my faith and done right, and something’s happened good for me,” he told WKYT.